Institutions

There are many visual examples of fashion in London across the collections. From the medieval period through to the twentieth century, fashion is illustrated in caricatures, prints and photographic portraits. It can be found in all its forms: street photography to fashion shows and student work to couture designers as we peer into the shop window of the fashionable high street. A particular highlight is the George W F Ellis collection which steps into the fashion of the 1920s as seen in the banner image here.

The early geography of London fashion can be found in the trading of goods at Cheapside which was assisted by the close proximity of Mercers Hall (COLLAGE reference 4978) and also the Merchant Taylors in Threadneedle Street (316439).

In the eighteenth century the fashion for promenading came into its own in the district of Westminster and Chelsea and in the Pleasure Gardens such as Ranelagh (286486). The "macaroni" (18363) was a dandy figure about town sporting the latest attire. The caricatures of James Gilray burst out in a shock of brash colour often with excellent examples of outlandish headwear (26594).

Fashion plates through the seasons for 1830s and 1840s were produced by the tailor Benjamin Read; an example can be seen at (22865). By the mid-1850s the East End employed around half of the women tailors in England and Wales and became known for producing ready-mades. Production had been able to increase with the introduction of industrial sewing machines which were patented in 1851 by Singer. In the West End up market tailoring was housed in the famous Savile Row. Norman Hartnell, who became the dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II, opened his business in Bruton Street in 1923 (301611).

The fashion districts of the Swinging Sixties radiate from the photographs taken by the London County Council and Greater London Council. The Mod look walked straight out of Lord John on Carnaby Street (128538) then across town to the Kings Road to Mary Quant's Bazaar Shop at 138 Kings Road (56889) where raised hemlines were the order of the day with the new miniskirt. Other brands such as Foale & Tuffin and Take 6 were at 1-2 Marlborough Court (138910).

The 1970s saw the arrival of Vivienne Westwood & Malcolm McLaren's shop called 'Sex' at number 430 King's Road (57025). The Punk aesthetic grew out of this with their clothing being worn by the Sex Pistols.

This gallery presents some of our finest historical photographs and pictures of fashion in London. To discover more images, try searching or use the London Picture Map to focus on a location.